Get Ready

I heard that the Farmer's Almanac has predicted an unusually cold winter this year. Not that I neccesarily put much stock in the Farmer's Almanac, butI say bring it on. I've been preparing, and I'm ready. Are you?

Currently in the closet are some old friends and some recent off season acquisitions. Left to right: Vintage Southwick heavy wool twill in hunter green; vintage wool tartan jacket (great for Bobby Burns parties); Paul Stuart brown glen check with gold and burgundy overcheck; old custom cashmere large scale glen check with blue overcheck; Andover Shop Russell plaid heavy tweed; Brooks Brothers gun club check with open patch pockets; Andover Shop moss green tweed with orange, red, blue, and lavender check; Andover Shop brown tweed with burgundy overcheck; Norman Hilton brown color fleck herringbone; three piece cavalry twill suit. All acquired through thrift shops, ebay, or trade. 

Not bad for a broke cheapskate. Persistence pays off.

p.s. Looks like we have temps pushing 80 on the way this weekend. Good thing I kept the khakis and hopsack blazer in rotation.

The Perfect Suit

Persistence truly is a high virtue, if not the high virtue, for anyone wanting to succeed in the crazy world of thrift shopping. In this post, I am pleased to announce that after more than twenty years of active and regular thrift shopping, I have finally managed to acquire one of the most elusive, and yet most basic, wardrobe items via thrift: the perfect grey flannel suit.

You may think that given some of the crazier things I find in a thrift store that something as simple as a charcoal grey flannel suit would be easy, almost a commodity. After all, despite the fact that standards of common dress have fallen so very far in the past couple of generations, a charcoal grey suit remains one of the few things still considered bread and butter among those who still work in suits. But it's for that very reason that they are so hard to come by. Men in suits still buy and wear dark grey suits, but that's just the problem: they wear them. Being men, they wear them until they are no longer wearable. For many businessmen, the jacket is removed upon arrival at the office, and as a result the trousers wear more quickly. Eventually, the orphaned jacket winds up at the thrift, while the trousers go to the trash. The same is largely true of navy suits. In a very real sense, you have better chance of finding a tuxedo.  Not only is this one complete, but it is especially excellent and perfect, and my acquisition of it involves the story of a convoluted three way thrift shopping trade.

A a few months ago, I found a wonderful polo coat from the Andover Shop. It was in great condition, had all the right details, and fit me well. Trouble was I already had a polo coat by Polo (also acquired through trade), and even though the more recent one was technically better, I found I preferred Ralph's number. That peaked lapel he was doing back in the 90s is a force to be reckoned with.( I'spoken of the "better isn't always best" rule here.) So I traded it away to Zach, for a suit in taupe nailhead, also from the Andover Shop. A great suit with great details, but too small for me. I figured I'd sell it for about as much as I might have gotten for the coat.

Enter D, a fellow I know who is very thin, and also a mad thrifter. He visited my shop one Saturday, tried on the taupe number, and it fit him like a glove. He offered to trade for a suit he'd gotten that was far too big for him, the elusive grey flannel. Goods were exchanged, hands shook, and in the end we all wound up with a worthy item. Andover Shop second hand love triangle. Crazy.

Besides being made of beautiful heavy but butter soft flannel, this suit has what I consider to be the perfect combination of details: a three and a half inch lapel, and classic soft, natural shoulders,

a two button darted front and four button surgeon cuffs (i.e. working button holes). Surgeon cuffs are great, but they can be the kiss of death in second hand. If the sleeves need alteration, you're basically s**t out of luck. In this case, the length is perfect. All the button holes are hand stitched,

and side vents for the final Anglo-American touch. I used to hate side vents, until the first time I tried on a jacket that fit well that had them. Now I prefer them, but not exclusively. 

But it's the trousers that are the real corker here. Double forward pleated with side tabs set below the waist band, brace buttons, and a slightly fuller cut leg. What's most striking is the fact that this suit is a matched set of clothes coming from two places. 

The suit hails originally from the Andover Shop, which explains the perfection of the synthesis of English and American details in the jacket. Nobody pulls that off like Charlie. Put the final dash of insouciance on it with a button down oxford and knit tie.  The jacket was made in the USA, likely at Southwick, a made to measure job. The trousers were made elsewhere.

The Andover Shop employs an elderly Italian man named Benito as it's trouser-maker. Customers who order custom trousers will have them hand made in an apartment in Cambridge, Mass. Such is the case with these. The set of the pleats and the shape and placement of the side tabs are his signature. The man who bought this suit must have made a special request that Benito cut him some trouser from the same cloth. Awesome. I can only assume that this man either gained or lost a significant amount of weight, as I can think of no other remotely good reason to get rid of something as wonderful as this. 

This really is the perfect suit, at least for me anyway. It's a deep rich grey, the fabric is superb, and the distinct combination of details is everything I'd have chosen myself. In fact, this is more like what I had in my mind when I had my Imparali suit made a while back. You'll remember I ordered a grey suit then sighting the difficulty I'd had finding one thrift. I still like that suit, but only wish I had communicated what I was after a little better. Now that I have this one, the problem is solved. I suppose the hidden moral, or "rule of thrifting", here is not to underestimate the power of trade. Thrift crazy people tend to attract one another, and by trading amongst themselves everyone's net gets cast a little wider.

Here's to many more icy cold, flannel appropriate weeks. You won't find me complaining about the cold, as long as I can wear this suit under my polo coat.

Calm

I know my last post, the one in which I openly admitted to liking a pair of sandals, was shocking and scandalous. But keep calm. This blog is still written by the man pictured above.

Brooks Brothers vintage 1980s university striped shirt, $14.99; J. Press club tie, $3.99; favorite Southwick blazer; below, Brooks Brothers khakis, navy surcingle belt, penny loafers and yellow socks (full coverage of the feet).

Painting With a Broad Stroke

The Suit Room has had some things to say lately. Both of his last two pieces, one on the virtues of being traditional without being rules-bound, and the other on the merits of thrift, resonate well with what I try to do here at An Affordable Wardrobe. He doesn't write much, but when he does it's worth reading.

Opposites Attract

A pair of Albert Thurston braces, new in the box with a price tag from the Andover Shop is a rare enough thrift store find. When they're bright orange with white leather fittings, it's awe inspiring. I wish I could claim credit for digging these up, but that honor belongs to Zach. After a bit of cajoling, I managed to talk him into trading for a pair of black watch trousers and a vintage shantung tie from J. Press.  (Zach and I trade thrift store finds with some frequency. Look for an upcoming series of posts about our swaps)

Lately, my taste in trousers has turned almost exclusively to forward pleats, and as a result, I've been collecting and wearing braces quite a bit. I have a good number of pair in vibrant stripes and colors, but find myself reaching most often for a somber set in navy with a hunter green rear blade and brown leather fittings. These orange ones, for as great as they are, can be tough to wear. I find that their best counterpart is their exact opposite, navy blue.

Fist time out, with a Brooks Brothers shirt ($5.49) and a Liberty of London tie ($2.99), both in navy and white. This combination was kept in check with charcoal flannels and a Polo navy double breasted blazer.

Second run, a week later, and the same tie makes another appearance, this time with a vintage white oxford shirt with unlined, long pointed collar, not unlike the one Bruce Boyer recently commissioned from Mercer. It's perfect for a collar pin.



This time, with a Southwick glen check suit with faint blue overcheck in cashmere blend (the result of another trade with Zach). A little more bold than the blazer and flannels combo, but still relatively classic.

Bright colors are a great thing to bring into your wardrobe once  you become a confident dresser. They can be daunting, but they don't have to be. Remember, temper them with quieter, classic pieces and let them do the talking.

p.s. given that the rear blade and leather are white, these are pretty much a guarantee with black tie.

p.p.s. new stuff in the Shop, including a rare 1940s Continental style suit. Check it out.

Milestones and Gratitude

A few days ago, An Affordable Wardrobe passed the two million mark in  number of page views. I can't state how humble and I grateful I am to all of you. In celebration, I offer this old school, original style AAW post:

With temperatures tending towards cool and comfortable, it's a perfect time to indulge in some classic New England style layering. It being early in the season, I chose to do this with a collection of lighter weight pieces, all of them old favorites from the closet, save one. My favorite "gossamer" blazer by Southwick ($5.99) has been a near constant companion throughout the Summer, but a man could do worse. A pair of lightweight tan worsted trousers with forward pleats by Kilgore,Stanley and French (ed. Kilgour, French and Stanbury. Thank you, Zach.) ($4.99) is often paired with it.

Non-iron shirts may be a sacrilege, it's true. But this striped number from Brooks Brothers ($5.49) has served me well, especially under a sweater. The oh-so-pretentious ascot ($1.99) makes a cameo appearance. But these are all trusted old friends from the AAW closet. It's the merino wool pullover in gold that I'm all jazzed about.

Made in Ireland for J. Press, $1.99 at a local thrift shop. A welcome and useful new piece, just in time for Fall.

Long time readers may remember when all my posts read this way, prices and all. Over the course of five years, this blog has evolved. While I try my best to continue to focus on dressing well for the man of small means, I've let the blog dictate itself a bit. Family, food, the raising of children, and my own take on life as a mixture of old values and modern convenience frequently take the fore. Through this blog I've managed to launch a small but successful online business, and your continued support is what makes it possible. The Top Shelf Flea Market has been going strong for three years, with it's sixth iteration currently in the planning stages for October. Not bad for a blog that started when some good friends cajoled me, at the time largely computer illiterate, into the then budding menswear blogging community as the voice of the stylish poor. Two million visits later and we're still going strong.

Thank you, more than you know.

Give 'Em Enough Rope

The rope soled espadrilles I ordered have arrived, and I have to admit, I love 'em. They are certainly a new Summer favorite:

I'd like to go on a rant telling Toms to go to hell, but I suppose I should thank them for even putting the idea in my mind that a proper espadrille may in fact be a necessity for the well dressed man in Summer.

The real thing, made in Spain, in the village of La Rioja according to the website.

They came in an envelope, not even one week after I ordered them. No right or left, just two identical shoes. After only two wears, though, my feet are already making impressions in the jute soles. So comfortable. First wearing was for an afternoon at the playground, second was with shorts and an un-ironed oxfrod sans shower to a yard sale this morning. I know I rail against slovenly dress and things like flip flops and shorts all the time, so spare me the argument. I am not, despite what you may think, anti-comfort. I am opposed to grown men being dressed in a selfishly sloppy way at all times for all ocassions. I will further admit that some ocassions call for comfortable, languid Summer dress, and for those times, espadrilles like these are just the trick, and have been for some time.

If you don't believe me, take a look at this image heisted from Heavy Tweed Jacket. It's from High Holy Brooks Brothers, in the High Holy Year of Our Preppy Lord 1982. Not only does it feature rope sole espadrilles, but also poly/cotton shorts and a damn hoodie. I rest my case.

Lest you think I've given up the ghost and gone full blast casual, know that later in the same day I wore a vintage Brooks Brothers white oxfrod with unlined collar, Brooks Brother blue oxford pants, a yellow cotton striped knit tie, vintage 1980s from Lands' End Charter Club, and the infamous gossamer jacket that has been getting perhaps too much time in the rotation. Damn thing is comfortable, what can I say? Different clothes for different circumstances.

Don't romanticize the past, and don't tie yourself up in imaginary rules. The old guys we all revere knew how to look good in a suit and in shorts. The real trick lies not so much in knowing all the little details as it does in knowing when to employ them.

p.s. give 'em enough rope:

Subdued Summer

Summer is certainly the best time for a man to play with color in his wardrobe. Pastel hues, brightly colored madras, and all manner of jaunty prints and patterns come into there own when the sun is full and the temperatures high. But what about the man who is simply not inclined to all that foppish tomfoolery? For that matter, even the most dandy among us can't wear pink, canary yellow, kelly green and Nantucket red all the time. Fortunately, the tried and true staid alternative is also one of the most stylish:

Navy and white will always do the trick. Seen here are the gossamer jacket I mentioned before, navy and white striped shirt with white club collar (Brooks Brothers, $5.49), navy silk tie with white pin dots (Bert Pulitzer, 1980s vintage, $1.99) and a pocket square made from a cut out piece of an old shirt. Only tow colors at play here, but enough variety of texture, pattern, and scale to keep the eye interested.

Below, some new favorite khaki trousers in 55%silk/45% cotton with double forward pleats, a style that is rapidly replacing flat front as my personal favorite (Polo, $4.99), held up with English made Trafalgar braces ($2.99). I sense a return of early 1990s nostalgia coming on in fashion. Much of it will be awful, as so many "fashion" things are. But I think the good points will include pleated, fuller cut pants, braces, and double breasted jackets. So much better for the man who may be carrying an extra pound or two lately. All that tight and skinny was doing nothing for me. Time for clothes to fit again. The turquoise, dark blue shirts, large shoulder pads, and navy-suit-with-yellow-tie thing will hopefully miss the return bus. We'll see.

Dressing for Summer is fun, but it doesn't always have to be extreme. Navy and white with khaki and brown leather, rendered in soft cuts and light fabrics, does the trick nicely.



p.s. on the feet: brown tassel loafers and pale pink socks. C'mon, I had to work some pink into this somehow, right?

Gossamer

I have a mild addiction to blazers with brass buttons. My current collection numbers five, the most recent of which, and most recent favorite, is this number:

True to my own style, a perfect hybrid of "preppy" and British details...or rather, a more accurate truly "preppy" garment.Two button undarted front, three button cuffs, center vent, flap pockets, no shoulder padding.

By good old high holy Southwick of Massachusetts...

...in a very loosely woven hopsack, loose and unstructured...

...so loose as to be absolutely gossamer when held up to the light...

...but not so loose as to not look like tailored clothes on a warm day. The perfect Summer jacket? No doubt in my mind. $5.99 well spent.